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The Airline Operators Committee (AOC) and the airport operator held a constructive dialogue on Wednesday to align on the dual-airport strategy for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
An official release mentioned that the operator presented detailed redevelopment schedules for Terminal 1 (T1), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), reiterating the critical urgency of demolishing T1, delayed for over nine years and the structural audit reports by Structwel (2017) and IIT Bombay (2024) have highlighted the urgency of the same. CSMIA has a total capacity of around 55 mppa. The temporary transition of 5 mppa traffic accounts means that 91% of the current traffic at CSMIA remains unaffected, the release mentioned. The release also mentioned that the total capacity of CSMIA after the redevelopment of T1 and T2 will increase to 65 mppa. It was clarified by MIAL that the T1 demolition and the resultant temporary reduction in CSMIA traffic are already incorporated in the approved tariff order, following extensive stakeholder consultations. The airport operator also shared the vision plan for the new Terminal 1, CSMIA, said the release. Sources said, To facilitate this transition, leading carriers IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa Air have finalized transition plans of their international flights to Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), accounting for around 3 million passengers per annum (mppa). To meet the 5 mppa target capacity, MIAL proposes to temporarily transition the balance slots out of CSMIA T2 for the Northern Summer 2027 season (NS27). MIAL has requested the airline operators to share their transition plans latest by 3rd November 2026 so that the final transition plan of 5 mppa can be achieved. The airport operator assured the airlines that the temporarily transitioned international traffic of 5 mppa will be fully restored to CSMIA once the T2 expansion is completed, the release added further. This phased, equitable transition will ensure passenger safety and minimal operational disruption while developing Mumbai as a world-class aviation hub. (ANI)
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